Caravanserai

 It probably was a church before but was used as a caravansary later. This was part of the silk road and camels loaded with stuff probably from China would stop here to rest. Ella Maillart in her book 'Forbidden journey', a trip she undertook across China into India with Peter Fleming (Ian Fleming's brother) wrote about the interminable boredom of riding on a horse across the Gobi desert. I can't imagine these traders riding on camels for months on end on the silk road.

 Let's get moving here, boys. ....

 While we did stick to the paths, sometimes there was none and we just track across these flowers. Ari would say, 'there's no path'. Yes, Ari, there is no path and that is why we need to blaze our own trail! Good thing we didn't come across any snakes. They say if you get bitten, be sure to get a good description of the snake because venom is snake specific. Better yet, kill the snake and bring it with you to the hospital... that is if you don't die first.

 The black and brown stones again, very typical Armenian style.

 There is definitely remnants of old Armenian ecclesiastical carvings. Armenians are master stone carvers.

I feel incredibly nostalgic looking at these pictures again. It was such a beautiful visit to a very nostalgic and beautiful place, a place that was once Western Armenia.